Deforestation and forest degradation rank the second highest in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions ratings. Positioning just below the energy sector, they account for 11% of total GHG emissions around the world. Alarmingly, this is more than the entire global transportation sector. On the contrary, Reducing deforestation and degradation have been identified as one of the most cost-effective and faster ways to lower emissions.

In response, Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have developed a climate change mitigation approach designed to incentivize developing countries to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. This mitigation approach is known as REDD+ and is defined as “reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks”.

Globally, REDD strategies aim to make forests more valuable by creating a financial value for the carbon stored in trees. It works as a mechanism to create an incentive for developing countries to protect, better manage and wisely use their forest resources as part of a post-2020 global climate change agreement. Finally, it involves paying positive incentives i.e. result based payments to the developing countries that qualify and become eligible through voluntarily reducing their rates of deforestation and forest degradation, and increasing their forest carbon stocks.

UN-REDD Programme:

The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries is known as ‘UN-REDD Programme’. UN-REDD is a multilateral body that is supporting nationally led REDD+ initiatives in 64 developing countries. The programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation. It is supporting the developing countries in establishing the technical capacities needed to implement REDD+ and meet UNFCCC requirements for REDD+ result based payments. Development countries that meet UNFCCC REDD+ requirements (see below box "Elements of UNFCCC Warsaw Framework for REDD+") will receive results-based payments for verified emissions reductions.